1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical sockets having releasable locking mechanisms to lock the contact prongs of electrical plugs therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical household electrical sockets normally include an insulated housing having two or three openings for receiving the prongs of an electrical plug. Such electrical sockets suffer many draw backs. For example, as the socket wears, the plug is no longer tightly retained in the socket. The plug may then partially slip out of the socket either due to gravity or minor tugs on the socket. If the plug is grasped in this condition, a risk of electrical shock exists because of the partially exposed prongs. Also the exposed prongs may present a fire hazard.
In addition, conventional sockets present an annoying inconvenience to users who repeatedly have to reinsert inadvertently disconnected plugs.
Further, children are extremely fascinated with electrical outlets, and have a tendency to remove electrical plugs from their outlets and insert objects such as paper clips or other metallic items into the outlet, thus subjecting themselves to the risk of electrocution.
For the aforementioned reasons, many electrical sockets that releasably lock the electrical plug in place, have been proposed in the prior art. The following United States patents all show releasably locking electrical sockets.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Name ______________________________________ 5,286,213 Altergott et al. 5,129,836 Ursich 4,969,833 Lindow et al. 4,909,749 Long 4,846,707 Pirkle 4,530,556 Bonus 4,167,658 Sherman 4,136,919 Howard et al. 4,085,991 Marshall et al. 4,061,409 Bealmear 3,805,211 Moore 3,543,218 Archer 3,350,675 Misencik et al. ______________________________________
However, none of the cited references teach or suggest a pair of hinged jaws for grasping the prongs of a plug, with the jaws being mounted to a carrier capable of reciprocating movement within the socket.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.